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World Cafe WXPN in Philadelphia and host Raina Douris present interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists.

World Cafe

Essential and Emerging Artists
Grandaddy's Jason Lytle On 20 Years Of 'Sophtware Slump'

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Aaron Farley/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Grandaddy's Jason Lytle On 20 Years Of 'Sophtware Slump'

XPN

The Grandaddy frontman and songwriter saw the anniversary as an opportunity to re-record one his band's most-loved albums from a lifetime away and with a vastly different arrangement.

Grandaddy on World Cafe

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Waylon Payne Considers His Experiences With Familial Fame, Addiction On 'Blue Eyes'

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Pooneh Ghana/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Waylon Payne Considers His Experiences With Familial Fame, Addiction On 'Blue Eyes'

XPN

In this session, Payne perform songs from his record Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher and Me – songs that touch on his famous parents, his struggles with addiction and journey to sobriety.

Waylon Payne on World Cafe

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Joy Oladokun's Music Uncovers New Ways Of Looking At The World

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Noah Tidmore/Courtesy of the arist

Studio Sessions

Joy Oladokun's Music Uncovers New Ways Of Looking At The World

XPN

Oladokun performs songs from her forthcoming album, in defense of my own happiness (vol 2).

Joy Oladokun on World Cafe

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The Revivalists' David Shaw Performs Songs From His Solo Album

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Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist

New Orleans Sessions

The Revivalists' David Shaw Performs Songs From His Solo Album

XPN

Get a preview of songs from Shaw's upcoming solo album in this interview with World Cafe New Orleans correspondent Gwen Thompkins.

David Shaw on World Cafe

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The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 4

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Camp Candle/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 4

XPN

Celebrating Black History Month, music journalist John Morrison brings us music from black musical innovators from the turn of the millennium to the present day.

The Back Roots of Rock and Roll: Part 4

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The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 3

Dionne Farris performs onstage during BET Presents the American Black Film Festival Honors on February 17, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 3

XPN

This week, we move on from the 1970s, touching on the early punk sounds of the band Death, and into the '80s and '90s - and the British proto-shoegaze band A.R. Kane.

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 3

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How Dan Auerbach Made An Album With Tony Joe White's Previously Unreleased Demos

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Tony Joe White was best known for writing "Rainy Night in Georgia," made popular in 1970 by Brook Benton. Jim Marshall/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jim Marshall/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

How Dan Auerbach Made An Album With Tony Joe White's Previously Unreleased Demos

XPN

The Black Keys guitarist and vocalist discusses honoring the late Americana artist with Smoke From The Chimney, a nine-song collection to be released in May.

Bartees Strange Asks, What If The Idea Of Genres Limits Expression?

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Julia Leiby/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Bartees Strange Asks, What If The Idea Of Genres Limits Expression?

XPN

Strange's new album, Live Forever, finds room for plenty of different sounds and tells the story of his life along the way.

Bartees Strange on World Cafe

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Bootsy Collins Shares Recordings From His Personal Archives

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Nick Presniakov/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Bootsy Collins Shares Recordings From His Personal Archives

XPN

The funk legend visits the Cafe with songs from his new album, The Power of the One, old favorites from his own personal archives, and stories about James Brown and George Clinton.

Bootsy Collins On World Cafe

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The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 2

George Clinton circa 1970 Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Studio Sessions

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 2

XPN

John Morrison shines a spotlight on Black rock innovators from the '60s and '70s, including Sly & The Family Stone, George Clinton and more.

The Black Roots of Rock and Roll Part 2 on World Cafe

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Panamanian Songwriter Sofía Valdés Carries On A Family Tradition

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CJ Harvey/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Panamanian Songwriter Sofía Valdés Carries On A Family Tradition

XPN

The 20-year-old musician joined us from her home in Panama City for this mini-concert.

Sofía Valdés on World Cafe

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A Name You Should Know: Dutch-Ghanian Songwriter Nana Adjoa

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Latoya van der Meeren /Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

A Name You Should Know: Dutch-Ghanian Songwriter Nana Adjoa

XPN

The rising singer-songwriter combines her African heritage, jazz training and love of American rock into a sound unlike any other.

Nana Adjoa on World Cafe

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The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 1

Sister Rosetta Tharpe performs onstage with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra, circa 1938. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Studio Sessions

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 1

XPN

Join us as we explore how black artists invented and influenced rock music – where it started, and where it's going.

The Black Roots of Rock and Roll: Part 1

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Why Laura Jane Grace Ditched Screens To Make 'Stay Alive'

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Alexa Viscius/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Why Laura Jane Grace Ditched Screens To Make 'Stay Alive'

XPN

Laura Jane Grace joins World Cafe to talk about how she made her new album.

Laura Jane Grace on World Cafe

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Funk Veteran Steve Arrington Teams With Knxwledge, Mndsgn On New Album

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Alexis Chabala/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Funk Veteran Steve Arrington Teams With Knxwledge, Mndsgn On New Album

XPN

After taking a multi-decade break to focus on his ministry, Arrington teams up with a new generation of producers for his second solo album.

Steve Arrington on World Cafe

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The Roots' Black Thought Talks Anxiety, 'Streams of Thought, Vol. 3'

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Joshua Woods/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

The Roots' Black Thought Talks Anxiety, 'Streams of Thought, Vol. 3'

XPN

The Roots frontman joins World Cafe to talk about his latest solo album.

Black Thought On World Cafe

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How Fontaines D.C. Avoided The Sophomore Slump On 'A Hero's Death'

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Valerian7000/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

How Fontaines D.C. Avoided The Sophomore Slump On 'A Hero's Death'

XPN

Frontman Grian Chatten discusses heightened expectations with World Cafe host Raina Douris.

Fontaines D.C. on World Cafe

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Arlo Parks Reminds Us That We're Not Alone

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Alex Kurunis/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Arlo Parks Reminds Us That We're Not Alone

XPN

'Black dog' is slang for depression. It's also the name of a breakout song from Arlo Parks, a song for the moment if there ever was one.

Arlo Parks On World Cafe

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BENEE, The Artist Behind A Viral TikTok Hit, Gets Serious And Weird

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Harry Were/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

BENEE, The Artist Behind A Viral TikTok Hit, Gets Serious And Weird

XPN

What's it like to have a song go viral on TikTok and rack up a half a billion plays on Spotify? Host Stephen Kallao talks with up and coming New Zealand artist Benee in this session.

Benee On World Cafe

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Brothers Osborne's Unusual Path To Country Music Stardom

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Natalie Osborne/Courtesy of the artist

Nashville Sessions

Brothers Osborne's Unusual Path To Country Music Stardom

XPN

TJ and John Osborne's music encompasses lots of interesting flavors, including blues, rock and bluegrass.

Brothers Osborne on World Cafe

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Matt Berninger's First Solo Album Was Inspired By Willie Nelson's 'Stardust'

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Chantal Anderson/Courtesy of the artst

Studio Sessions

Matt Berninger's First Solo Album Was Inspired By Willie Nelson's 'Stardust'

XPN

The National's lead singer set out to create something warm and welcoming on his new album, Serpentine Prison.

Matt Berninger On World Cafe

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